Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) are a resource that is increasingly in demand by different institutions. Today it is common to find recreational, therapeutic and/or educational activities assisted by dogs in the programming of schools, nursing homes, special education schools, prisons and even in hospitals, and this is thanks to the enormous amount of benefits that To date, we know that the presence of a dog in these contexts contributes.
Dog-assisted therapy is a specific type of IAA where dogs become co-therapists during sessions to help users improve their physical, emotional, cognitive and/or relational functions, depending on the case. If you would like to know more about the work of therapy dogs and their benefits, in this article on our site we tell you everything about them.
What are therapy dogs?
A therapy dog is an animal that has been carefully selected, evaluated and educated to accompany the he alth professional during therapeutic sessions and perform a support functionin the same. These types of interventions are perfectly structured and adapted to the needs of each user and, in addition, are usually long-lasting, which allows many patients to establish a strong bond with the therapist dog that accompanies them during the sessions.
For its part, the dog is responsible for providing invaluable help when it comes to increasing the attention and motivation of patients, increasing their confidence and optimismand reduce the stress that therapy can cause in many cases, especially for those who must relive traumatic or painful episodes during sessions.
Benefits of therapy with dogs
Since we began to live together thousands of years ago, human beings have established an enormous emotional bond with dogs, which has meant an undoubted improvement in terms of well-being and quality of life for many. The benefits provided by the company of dogs were already known and valued centuries ago, because today we know that in ancient Greece they took dogs to healing temples so that patients would recover more quickly. Since the end of the last century (and especially during the last few years), the number of scientific investigations about the benefits of animal-assisted interventions, including dog therapy, has increased tremendously.
Thanks to the large number of studies available, we can affirm that having a dog in the therapeutic team provides patients with the following advantages, among many others:
- Improves social and communication skills and encourages initiative by joining group activities.
- Boosts self-esteem, self-confidence and a sense of optimism.
- Increases the ability to concentrate and pay attention.
- Improves motor coordination in patients with movement difficulties.
- Reduces heart rate and blood pressure, facilitating a state of relaxation and reducing stress and anxiety levels.
Characteristics of therapy dogs
On many occasions, and as occurs with assistance or social help dogs, the dogs that are going to be trained as therapy animals are born and raised in specialized centers, where professionals are in charge to select and perpetuate certain specific traits of character, as well as to provide puppies with adequate stimulation and education from an early age. However, this does not necessarily have to be the case. In fact, any dog that meets a series of characteristics can be trained to become a cotherapist, regardless of his size, age, breed or where he was born.
The main characteristics of therapy dogs are as follows:
- Good socialization First of all, it is essential that the animal has been properly socialized since puppyhood and has had positive experiences both with people and with other animals, sounds and objects. A good socialization allows the dog, upon reaching maturity, to have a lot of self-confidence and not develop fears or phobias of the unknown. We explain how to properly socialize a puppy in this other article.
- Habituation to handling On the other hand, the therapy dog must be used to all types of handling andit is important that you enjoy the company and human contact , since, during the sessions, it is normal for users to want to touch the animal and, in many cases, they will have to caress it, comb it or lean on it as part of therapy.
- Interest in learning Obviously, therapy dogs should be trained using a respectful methodology based on positive reinforcement, for what must be taken into account is the furry's level of motivation and their interest in reinforcers such as toys or food. Some dogs love to train and enjoy learning new tricks, but others are less interested in training and in this case should never be forced to interact with patients if they don't want to.
Last but not least, the therapist or trainer who guides the dog during therapy must have extensive knowledge of canine language and behaviorand ensure that, at each session, the dog is comfortable and in perfect he alth, both physically and emotionally.
Therapy Dog Breeds
There is no specific breed of therapy dog. As we have mentioned before, any dog can be trained for this job, since what matters is his temperament and the education he receives
However, it is true that some breeds show a genetic tendency to present certain desirable character traits that can facilitate their training process and their subsequent adaptation to therapeutic sessions. Thus, the most common breeds of therapy dogs are the following:
Labrador retriever
This famous breed of dog is probably the most widely used worldwide to carry out aid and social assistance work for various reasons. His happy and sociable character makes Labradors very much enjoy the company, both human and dog, and his great motivation to train and learn new skills is another great advantage when preparing them as therapy dogs. In addition, they have an ideal size so that users can interact with them comfortably and without damaging them.
Golden retriever
The golden retriever has an origin, size and temperament very similar to that of the labrador retriever and is, without a doubt, another of the star breeds when it comes to dog-assisted interventions. He is a noble dog , patient, calm and very intelligent, ideal for participating in therapy with both adults and children or the elderly. In addition, it is said of the golden retriever that he has a special sensitivity to capture human emotions and respond to them.
Poodle or poodle
Something not everyone knows is that poodles are considered one of the most intelligent breeds and suitable as therapy dogs. Its physical and behavioral characteristics have made it an ideal working dog and it is also very common to find crossbreeds of a poodle with a Labrador (Labradoodle) and with a Golden Retriever (Goldendoodle) acting as co-therapists in different types of interventions, so that, as we can see, mongrel dogs are also perfect for performing assisted therapies.
German shepherd
Properly socialized and educated, German Shepherds are "all-terrain" dogs that are fully involved in any task for which they are trained. They are very popular and beloved dogs, extremely intelligent and very obedient.
Cavalier king Charles spaniel
Perhaps somewhat less known, this small dog of English origin is characterized by being very familiar and affectionate His friendliness and playful nature have made him It has become an ideal therapy dog breed for therapies with children, the elderly or, in general, with those patients who may feel a certain fear or insecurity towards larger dogs.
